Rotary vacuum can holddown and method

ABSTRACT

Can spinning is provided by a spinning wheel having a rubberized face. The rubberized face is pierced by conduits connected to a vacuum source. In this way, as a can comes to the spinning operation, the can wall contacts the spinning wheel and is held down against the rubberized material by the vacuum. The vacuum is applied through the conduit only in the area of the surface contact between the can and the wheel. The vacuum is connected to a conduit in the rubber face at a point slightly before the section of the wheel approaches the can wheel contact point. In this way, vacuum is being fully applied at the time the surface area of the wheel adjacent to the conduit contacts the can wall.

Unite States Patent Harry Lehring, .11 r.

Elmllurst, lll.

Oct. 29, 1969 Oct. 12, 197 1 Continental Can Company, Inc. New York, N.Y.

lnventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee ROTARY VACUUM CAN HOLDDOWN AND METHOD 1 BS, 152; 198/210, 33 R2; 74/208, 215; 118/50, 230, 319, 500

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,812,846 11/1957 Nordquist t. 118/500 X 2,837,042 6/1958 Laval 198/210X Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan AttorneysAmericus Mitchell, Joseph E. Kerwin and William A. Dittmann ABSTRACT: Can spinning is provided by a spinning wheel having a rubberized face. The rubberized face is pierced by conduits connected to a vacuum source. In this way, as a can comes to the spinning operation, the can wall contacts the spinning wheel and is held down against the rubberized material by the vacuum. The vacuum is applied through the conduit only in the area of the surface contact between the can and the wheel. The vacuum is connected to a conduit in the rubber face at a point slightly before the section of the wheel approaches the can wheel contact point. In this way, vacuum is being fully applied at the time the surface area of the wheel adjacent to the conduit contacts the can wall.

PATENTED m a 2 IHYI INVENTOR HARRY LEHR/NGJR ATT'V.

It is a final object of this invention to position a can in readiness for internal spraying.

In brief, my invention relates to a can spin device having a surface covered with hard rubber or sponge rubber. The can is spun by means of vacuum exerted between the can and the rubber covering material. Where the material covering the wheel is solid rubber, holes pass through the material to allow vacuum holddown forces to be introduced between the can wall and the surface. Where sponge rubber is used, the vacuum holddown is more diffuse in nature because the vacuum spreads through a greater area. The can is indexed into position by the turret to the coating station and is turned at a high rate of speed.

These, together with other objects and advantages, which are more fully hereinafter described and claimed, are contemplated within the scope of my invention. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. ll shows a view of a vacuum spin means which is ap plied to a can.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a view of a porous rubber vacuum spin means.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIG. ll, an outline of the general structure of the turret l is shown. In practice, this turret has about six can-holding or container-holding pockets 2, depending upon the particular application or mechanism desired. As the turret turns, the can 3 in each pocket finally comes to the position opposite the rubberized wheel 4. In the machine shown, each can pocket or position may have three or more roller elements 5 mounted around the can pocket 2. Each can 3 sits down into the pocket. A portion of the can protrudes beyond the can pocket, that is, beyond the outer perimeter of the turret 11. The bearing mountings shown here are typical. When the can 3 comes near the position where its inside is to be spray-enameled, the can contacts or touches the outer part of the rubberized wheel 4. This wheel is rotating in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the can and imparts to the can a circular motion which is the sum of the travel of the turret periphery plus the speed of turn of the periphery of the friction wheel.

In the embodiment where the friction wheel is made of an elastomer 6 such as rubber having holes I in it, a vacuum is applied to the surface 8 of the friction wheel through the holes at a point just preceding the contact point, the slot 9 shown interiorly in dotted lines is a main vacuum conduit and applies a vacuum to the smaller vacuum conduits or passageways 10 extending from the slot to the outer periphery of the rubberized wheel. As the wheel turns in a clockwise fashion, the small vacuum conduits begin pulling air into the large vacuum conduit somewhat before they are in contact with the can. In the event the outer surface is made of porous elastomeric material such as sponge rubber material (FIG. 3), the small vacuum conduits 10 extend only to the bottom of the sponge rubber material llll and the vacuum is spread over the surface of the material more than in the situation where the conduit extends through solid rubber.

A cross section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. l is shown in FIG. 2. The main vacuum conduit 12 shown in FIG. 2 extends from the left through a fitting 113 and into the friction wheel. The wheel t has mounted around its periphery a series of spaced holes 7. This series of holes extend along the length of the conduit wheel and five holes 7 with the connecting vacuum conduit lltl are shown in FIG. 2.

The vacuum spread through the porous rubber ill of FIG. 3 is applied through the same conduits It) as in FIGS. l and 2.

The can 3 is shown in phantom outline above where it contacts the roller.

An advantage of this assembly IS that there 18 less distortion of the can because of contact with "the roller. This is true because the can is not pressed against the roller by any external surface, but is drawn to the roller. The point of maximum adhesion between the can and the roller is at the point where the can touches the roller. It is at this point also where a maximum amount of driving force between the roller and the can is applied. Thus, strong distortive force is not needed to hold the can against the wheel.

The foregoing is a description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and it is applicants intention in the appended claims to cover all forms which fall within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

ll. In a can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel has an elastomeric cover, the improvement comprising:

a wheel having a rim, a flat side adjacent said rim and passageways between said rim and said flat side of said wheel:

elastomeric means mounted in continuing engagement with said rim;

passageways in said elastomeric means;

said wheel being adapted to be rotated by drive means;

a stationary fixture for mounting said wheel; and

a passageway in said fixture having an elongate opening adjacent said flat side of said wheel. whereby as the wheel turns suction is applied through said fixture passageway, said elongate opening, said passageways in said wheel and elastomeric means passageways at and slightly before a coating station to hold said can pressed against said spin wheel at said coating station.

2. A can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel has an elastomeric cover as set forth in claim ll, wherein:

said elastomeric means is an elastomeric belt; and

said passageways in said resilient means are conduits extending from said passageways in said rim to the outside of said resilient means.

3. A can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel has an elastomeric cover as set forth in claim 11 in which:

said elastomeric means is a porous elastomeric means and said passageways in said resilient means are formed by the pores of said porous elastomeric means whereby air is conducted from the exterior of said wheel and elastomeric means through the said formed] passageways into said fixture passageway and then to a vacuum source.

4. A can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel as an elastomeric cover as set forth in claim I, in which said wheel further comprises,

a rim of the wheel which has a cross section with a flat exterior surface.

5. A method of drawing a can to a spinning friction wheel comprising the steps of:

applying suction to the surface of a wheel for spinning cans at a series of points a spaced interval in advance of the point of contact between said friction wheel and said can and said spaced interval is a distance less than one-third the radius of the wheel, and

applying suction between said can and said wheel at the point where said can and said wheel make contact. 

1. In a can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel has an elastomeric cover, the improvement comprising: a wheel having a rim, a flat side adjacent said rim and passageways between said rim and said flat side of said wheel: elastomeric means mounted in continuing engagement with said rim; passageways in said elastomeric means; said wheel being adapted to be rotated by drive means; a stationary fixture for mounting said wheel; and a passageway in said fixture having an elongate opening adjacent said flat side of said wheel whereby as the wheel turns suction is applied through said fixture passageway, said elongate opening, said passageways in said wheel and elastomeric means passageways at and slightly before a coating station to hold said can pressed against said spin wheel at said coating station.
 2. A can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel has an elastomeric cover as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said elastomeric means is an elastomeric belt; and said passageways in said resilient means are conduits extending from said passageways in said rim to the outside of said resilient means.
 3. A can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel has an elastomeric cover as set forth in claim 1 in which: said elastomeric means is a porous elastomeric means and said passageways in said resilient means are formed by the pores of said porous elastomeric means whereby air is conducted from the exterior of said wheel and elastomeric means through the said formed passageways into said fixture passageway and then to a vacuum source.
 4. A can spin wheel assembly where at least one spin wheel as an elastomeric cover as set forth in claim 1, in which said wheel further comprises, a rim of the wheel which has a cross section with a flat exterior surface.
 5. A method of drawing a can to a spinning friction wheel comprising the steps of: applying suction to the surface of a wheel for spinning cans at a series of points a spaced interval in advance of the point of contact between said friction wheel and said can and said spaced interval is a distance less than one-third the radius of the wheel, and applying suction between said can and said wheel at the point where said can and said wheel make contact. 